On the Radar -- Latin Influence

We Blackbirds get inspiration from many places, and we recently watched "Anchors Aweigh" one night when it was on TCM.  (Hey -- if Gene Kelly is on the TV, we're going to watch it.  Unless it's "The Pirate." Then no, no, no!)  Now, I'm sure you know by now that we love us some color and pattern.  The more, the better!  And what I had never really paid attention to when watching this movie is the 1940s fascination with Mexico that runs throughout.  Kathryn Grayson's Aunt Susie character works as a singer at a Mexican restaurant, and the backdrop that the restaurant provides is full of amazing inspiration, from clothing to music to the village-like atmosphere outside the restaurant, which even has a little lonely senorita for Mr. Kelly to dance with around a fountain. 

When I decided to write this week's On the Radar (finally!), then, of course, I just had to talk about the resurgence of Mexican, Spanish and otherwise Latin print, patterns, and colors.  Designers pulled it out for Spring 2014, but it's not really going anywhere quite yet.  Here's a roundup of some of my favorites, new and vintage -- and I'd like to think Aunt Susie would approve of everything!

Nicolas Jebran, 2013-2014 Couture

Valentino resort, 2015

Valentino resort, 2015

Mara Hoffman, 2014

Embroidered tunic, from Living Textiles on Etsy, here

1940s jacket from Red Poppy Vintage Shop on Etsy, here.

1970s Purse from Sunday Girl Finds on Etsy, here.

1970s rug, from our shop, here.

1980s embroidered caftan, from our shop, here.

On the Radar -- Blurred Lines

From Fashion Forward Trends, here.

Confession time again:  we Blackbird girls like to boogie to the song "Blurred Lines."  It may be very un-PC to like it, but we do.  It's just so catchy.  And we think Robin Thicke is adorable. 

Anyway, I think fashion designers like it, too.  I keep finding prints and patterns that are blurred and smudgy.  Like watercolors that have too much water and have started to run into each other and down the paper.  Or like someone has run their fingers through thick paint and made a mess -- well, a pretty mess.


From Patternbank.

Of course, the first designer we look to is the House of McQueen (all hail), and Sarah Burton never disappoints.  She's always on the highest precipice of design, much like her sainted mentor and predecessor.  Love the red, black and white, as well as the really new tribal vibe.  But there's those blurry lines...

Alexander McQueen, Spring/Summer 2014

Then I found many small fashion houses that were doing prints that are soft or out of focus, smudgy, blurred; new ombres; new dip-dyes:

Jonathan Saunders

Josie Natori

Maria Grachvogel

Chalayan

It's influencing makeup, too.
 

Vogue Germany, January 2014

Chanel Spring Runway look.

You can get the look for less on Etsy.  A quick search yielded this cute cropped shirt, for under $17.

By handmadebyify, here.